2019 season in review

State of Origin Rep

Feel free to copy the template. I'll be filling the rest of mine in after I've absorbed this latest debacle.

Player of the Year: Easy. Payne Haas by a country mile. Cannot remember a better debut year for a prop forward from ANY club nevermind the Broncs. He is an immortal in waiting.

Rookie of the Year: As above. Can you believe that?

Highest point: Back2back Rookies of the year, one forward and one back. Isaako's future however remains very uncertain. Knows how to kick a goal but **** me if he doesn't make Gagai look like a good defender.

Lowest point: The Titans loss. It was at this point where I came closest to thinking the club had made a huge mistake with dumping Bennett for Seibold. Thankfully now things have turned around enough where the jury is still out.

Best Try: Payne Haas 73rd minute against the Panthers in Round 22. It was the match winner and just further evidence of the freakshow Payne is.

Biggest surprise: Turpin, without a doubt. Was stuck in mud behind McC but still found a way to break the chains and establish himself as a "Mr. Fixit". Should be our starting number 9 by all measures.

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?

It was impossible to have a standard set for what 2019 should have looked like in the off season. New coach, many new players, older players with big question marks on their future, who the **** knew what would happen.

When all is said and done though, you can't help but be underwhelmed, especially when our spine and backline are in such a putrid state. This pack is world class and deserves WAY better than this. The sooky la la nature of the side as soon a something doesn't go their way is also very disappointing and embarrassing to see.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?

Obvious answers are of course Boyd and McC. I wouldn't be surprised to hear 95% of the Broncos fanbase are in uniform agreement about the future of those two. If they don't give it away voluntarily, they should be forced to with seasons in reserve grade behind green as grass rookies. Gillett looked in trouble for awhile there but we really cannot do without his defence on the edge.

I also think we would be beyond stupid not to have a serious look at someone like Sezer in the off season.

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?

He needs to make smarter fucking selection decisions. That's what he needs to do. He needs to take back control of his own squad. It's obvious that Boyd is the source of 9/10 of the problems with this team and he must be gone next year. I am also incredibly disheartened by some frankly stupid calls like dropping SOS for an out of position player. Not only does it throw Turpin under the bus, it also disheartens SOS just when he was starting to improve and weakens the sides cohesion. It's just dumb coaching, and doesn't fill me with confidence if I'm being honest. He needs to make the tough calls in the off season or **** off if I'm being frank.

State of Origin Rep

Even if you ignore the numerous issues facing the code outside of Brisbane, it has still been a terrible season. The team has gone backwards in almost all facets. We've seen off a number of senior players for everything from refusing to give up the party life to being a grubby rat to just being busted, and we've replaced them with kids who, as talented as they are, have brought a whole new slew of problems of their own. Our 3 most senior players left in the side are all cooked, the captain is a sook, the media have been riding the club into the dirt constantly all year and the PR department is handling selections and not the coach. Shit's real bad man, and rather than being full of optimism around the best young forward pack in the game, I'm wondering how the club is going to find a way to piss it into the wind.

NYC Player

Player of the Year: Haas, I can think about a million reason why he is, but someone will come up with another

Rookie of the Year: Haas

Highest point: The Eels match on home ground. It shows Isaako can ice the field goal like we literally can win some team over time; Plus Fifita is showing tremendous ability like he’s the one; Boyd’s best match of all year. All these give me illusion that we are no longer the mentally weak team who never shows up at the big stage.

Lowest point: The Knight match. Pretty much got written off during the period, plus the Boyd’s defense show against Remin.

Best Try: Payne Haas’s vs Panthers

Biggest surprise: Turpin. He’s not knocking at the door at the time when Macca is down, but he certainly seizes his opportunity. I still can’t stop thinking if Macca has a season ending injury, what’d we achieved?

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?
No, below the bar. But it doesn’t surprise me that much when we had coach swapping drama, it does no help with the preparation for the season.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?
Boyd&Macca if we can but clearly we can’t......Everyone knows Boyd’s playing next season, but nobody knows what position he’ll play including Seibold I believe.
Either we switch Milford back to half paring with Dearden, getting a decent fullback or we getting an experienced half mentoring Dearden.

Is there anyone who are thinking about Melbourne half Brodie Croft? Apparently he’s no longer first choice of Bellamy, Croft might not be another Cronk, but he certainly looks better than any half in our current 30 squad ( except Milford)

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?
It’s pretty sad the coach can’t pick his favorite 17 players for the game but has to compromise with the situation he got.
First thing he should do is working out decent solution with players who’s no longer the best option for the team.
Boyd&Macca, Gillet

NRL Player

Player of the Year: Has to be Darius Boyd he’s the only player to play all 25 games this season. Just a model of consistency. He set the bar very low and somehow never failed to disappoint.

Rookie of the Year: Has to Haas.

Highest point: Winning the slog fest with the Roosters and listening to Gould’s voice as he slowly realised his sweethearts were gonski!

Lowest point: Aside from having to read the incessant Bennett wankfest and have threads turn to shit due to a certain poster on here, the lowest point was watching Norman kick a FG against us to steal a game that we always looked like winning.

Best Try: Seggeyaro’s debut try against the Rorters.

Biggest surprise: Boyd being moved to 5/8. He’s not a 5/8s arsehole for feks sake.

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?
I had high hopes in the off-season despite the mega disruption when I learned that Seibs was coming a year early. But due to the clusterfuck that was Benny leaving, the injuries, suspensions and Knik leaving our whole spine was stuffed for the majority of the season. It still is BTW.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?
Obvious answers are of course Boyd and Macca. Honestly, I don’t think their experience outweighs their obvious liabilities they bring to the team. I’d like us to use some of their cash to take on Foran who the Dogs want to get rid of.

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?

Make the team and the club his own! He needs to bite down hard and get rid of the remaining deadwood to ensure 2020 is the year of the new Broncos. We might not win it but that year will be the making of the 2021 premiers.

Final score and thoughts:

5/10 I could not give him anymore than that just because of his dumb ass slip ups with the press, his instance on picking Turps at 7 (which weakens both half back and dummy half) and his inability to get any sort of attacking structures in place after 25 rounds. Sure our spine hampered that last reason, but He needs to hit the ground running next season.

I’ve sort of resigned ourselves to maybe beating Parra and Canberra but unless the others suffer the same sort of injury crisis we have had to suffer we’re no closer to a premiership just yet.

Attitude and defence were the two most areas I was looking for improvement, we have gone backwards and it's really only been the substandard quality of the competition this season that has seen us into the finals.

NRL Player

We are a good chance at this year Daly m to take home some position of the year awards. Staggs for centre, Haas for prop and Fifita for second row. That try by Haas has to be mentioned at least for try of the year. Haas has to be rookie of the year without a doubt.

NRL Captain

We are a good chance at this year Daly m to take home some position of the year awards. Staggs for centre, Haas for prop and Fifita for second row. That try by Haas has to be mentioned at least for try of the year. Haas has to be rookie of the year without a doubt.

Feel free to copy the template. I'll be filling the rest of mine in after I've absorbed this latest debacle.

Player of the Year: Easy. Payne Haas by a country mile. Cannot remember a better debut year for a prop forward from ANY club nevermind the Broncs. He is an immortal in waiting.

Rookie of the Year: As above. Can you believe that?

Highest point: Back2back Rookies of the year, one forward and one back. Isaako's future however remains very uncertain. Knows how to kick a goal but **** me if he doesn't make Gagai look like a good defender.

Lowest point: The Titans loss. It was at this point where I came closest to thinking the club had made a huge mistake with dumping Bennett for Seibold. Thankfully now things have turned around enough where the jury is still out.

Best Try: Payne Haas 73rd minute against the Panthers in Round 22. It was the match winner and just further evidence of the freakshow Payne is.

Biggest surprise: Turpin, without a doubt. Was stuck in mud behind McC but still found a way to break the chains and establish himself as a "Mr. Fixit". Should be our starting number 9 by all measures.

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?

It was impossible to have a standard set for what 2019 should have looked like in the off season. New coach, many new players, older players with big question marks on their future, who the **** knew what would happen.

When all is said and done though, you can't help but be underwhelmed, especially when our spine and backline are in such a putrid state. This pack is world class and deserves WAY better than this. The sooky la la nature of the side as soon a something doesn't go their way is also very disappointing and embarrassing to see.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?

Obvious answers are of course Boyd and McC. I wouldn't be surprised to hear 95% of the Broncos fanbase are in uniform agreement about the future of those two. If they don't give it away voluntarily, they should be forced to with seasons in reserve grade behind green as grass rookies. Gillett looked in trouble for awhile there but we really cannot do without his defence on the edge.

I also think we would be beyond stupid not to have a serious look at someone like Sezer in the off season.

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?

He needs to make smarter fucking selection decisions. That's what he needs to do. He needs to take back control of his own squad. It's obvious that Boyd is the source of 9/10 of the problems with this team and he must be gone next year. I am also incredibly disheartened by some frankly stupid calls like dropping SOS for an out of position player. Not only does it throw Turpin under the bus, it also disheartens SOS just when he was starting to improve and weakens the sides cohesion. It's just dumb coaching, and doesn't fill me with confidence if I'm being honest. He needs to make the tough calls in the off season or **** off if I'm being frank.

Player of the Year - Haas first, daylight secondRookie of the year - see aboveHighest point - Roosters at Lang ParkLowest point - every game after itBest try - any by FifitaBiggest surprise - Siebs fixing our fullback position by putting Boyd at 5/8th...**** me was i surprised..!Did we perform etc? - nahWho do we cut & who do we resign? - you know..! Seriously look into Sezer and taking on % of Forans contract

International Rep

Player of the year has to be Boyd. The amount of confidence he gives to everyone else has been shouted from the roof tops. Came in to the season the fittest he’s ever been too and the results have shown it.

Where would any of this team’s wild success have come from this year without the confidence bestowed by the captain of courage and inspiration embodies as he is?

QCup Player

Lowest point:
Eels 38-10 loss in Round 14, that Oates fumble in goal with the meek clean up from Boyd was horrible.

Best Try:
Payne Haas match winner against the Panthers

Biggest surprise:
Mid season shedding of rep players and the blind backing of Darius captaincy and form, by Lockyer and Seibold.

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?
With Boyd still as the captain, was sure we were missing the 8.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?
Cut Boyd, replace with Niu or Edene Gebbie from Wynnum. Actual fullbacks that trails up behind Fifita, TPJ and Haas for their offloads.
Cut Macca, replace with Paix and keep him in the mix with SOS and Dearden for halves duties while Turps and Segy lock down 9 and 14.

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?
Defence, defence, defence - shore up their defensive structure all preseason till they do it in their sleep.
Drop any player who has 2 shitty games in a row, whether captain, on min wage or 1mil. Honesty and accountability must run supreme through this current crop. Not this years fiasco of double standards.

Final score and thoughts:
They won more games than I thought they would this year, thanks to Haas Fifita and Turpin.

QCup Player

NYC Player

Player of the Year: Payne Haas. Honestly, this was less of a contest than watching Winx.

Rookie of the Year: See above. Really no contest. Gave them all a four game head start too.

Highest point: It's all about the kids. We have been wildly inconsistent but that tends to happen to any young side and the Broncos are basically the youngest out there. Virtually every single rookie to play for us this year at minimum did their job competently (Dearden, Coates, Farnworth, Shibasaki, Kennedy, Palasia etc) and in some cases they've outright killed it (Haas, Staggs, Flegler and Fifita if you still consider him a rookie). To debut that many guys and not have any go badly and in fact have so many excel really is impressive.

Lowest point: So many to pick from. The Souths hiding was awful. The Dragons loss was awful. The Storm hiding and the Titans losses were just humiliating. We loss games this year to all the worst sides in the comp. Thought even with Bennett on board last year we saw a similar trend of losing to teams who were going worse than us. To see it happen two years running now really screams of an attitude or complacency issue that needs to be sorted out. I think for me though the Souths result hurt the most because I was excited to see us blooding a young Half in Dearden and inside the first 20 minutes they'd pulled our pants down and turned our Skipper into a game wide bad joke.

Best Try: Was a bludger of a game overall, but Jake Turpin's matchwinner v Cronulla had me out of my seat.

Biggest surprise: The hugely impressive injection of Turpin was great, but for me personally I can't go past Payne Haas and the stunning realisation of just how good he really is. He's probably been more impressive than Karmichael Hunt in his debut year and that's really saying something I think. For a rookie to become arguably the best in the league in his position, especially a position that rookies typically struggle in, was simply stunning.

Did we perform how you expected we would in the off season?
I personally didn't see us going this poorly, but I also didn't see us debuting as many rookies which I think only added to the inconsistency. I'm impressed with Seibold's bravery to gut our roster so early on and so comprehensively. The results weren't there and as a fan I can be patient with the young guys, but I'll be expecting far better than 25 points next season. Continuing to not rectify obvious issues with our spine will also be very hard to tolerate if they continue on next season.

Who should the club cut loose from the top 30 and who should replace them (signings or from within)?

AM9 and Boyd really shouldn't have a place in our spine going forward in my opinion. I think AM9 can provide coverage and depth but surely it's obvious by now that he's not a useful bench Dummy Half relative to Segeyaro and he isn't as strong overall as Turpin. Sad to see him phased out but the Broncos have always been at their best when they weren't afraid to phase out ageing stars. Boyd can be a really capable Centre in my opinion and I'd be happy to see him tried there if he can put in a good preseason, but he'll have to expect competition and compete for his spot like everybody else. This is a club that wasn't above sacking Wally Lewis as Captain and moving him on and it shouldn't be above doing the same to Darius Boyd.

What in your opinion does the coach need to do next year?

Be consistent in his selection policies. It's all well and good to show the door to guys who are under performing, but it loses it's impact when it isn't applied evenly to all players. Boyd and AM9 appear to be above the others in what they can get away with and perhaps because of past performances they deserve more leeway than most, but that has to expire at some point soon if Seibold is serious.

I see resolving how to manage McCullough, Gillett and particularly Darius Boyd as probably the most crucial issue in determining how our 2020 season will unfold.

Final score and thoughts:

5.5/10

On results alone, a 4.5 or 5 out of 10 was probably justified, but he gets the extra credit for the major overhaul of our playing roster and the nerves he showed in making those changes. I think he wore some more inconsistent results as a result of this but I see those changes as really quite necessary. I actually think if he'd really followed through completely and we'd moved on the guys mentioned above or at least made them justify their positions, I think even with the same number of wins I'd have seen this as a 6 or 6.5 out of 10 season because I think our roster would have really evolved and be progressing long term.